Most dining-table guides are written to make you click “add to basket”. This one isn’t. Here’s how each material actually behaves over five years, including the ones we don’t stock.
Walk into any furniture showroom and they’ll tell you the most expensive thing on display is the best. The truth is messier. Each dining-top material is a trade-off between four things: how it looks, how it feels, how it ages, and how much it costs.
Sintered stone vs marble
Sintered stone has been our most-asked-about material for two years running. It’s a fired composite (same family as Dekton or Neolith) engineered to mimic marble while skipping its biggest weakness: porousness.
| Property | Sintered stone | Real marble | Ceramic | Solid wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stain-proof | Fully | Seal once a year | Mostly | Sealing required |
| Heat-proof | To 300°C | Yes | To 200°C | Trivets needed |
| Scratch-proof | Yes | No | Yes | Patinas over time |
| Price (160cm) | £500–£1,400 | £900–£3,500 | £400–£900 | £350–£2,500 |
When ceramic wins
Ceramic gets less press but punches above its weight at the entry-level price point. Lighter than stone, still heat- and scratch-resistant, and easier to install if you’re shopping for a self-build dining set.
Solid wood — honest pros and cons
Wood is the only material on this list that gets better looking with age. It’s also the only one that needs work to keep that way: re-oiling annually, coasters under cold glasses, and patience with the marks it accumulates.
Ludovica Extending Dining Table
Six-seat sintered stone with an extension for hosting. The closest thing to “set and forget” we sell, and our personal favourite.
